Overview:
Students will learn about the characteristics of the Arctic by looking at a globe and at pictures of the polar landscape and animals. They will plan a vacation to this region and draw pictures or write a story showing themselves on the trip.

Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, world history

Standards:
Time:

Materials Required:
• Computer with Internet access/SMART Board
• Maps
• Drawing materials
• Writing materials

Objectives:
Students will
• view the north pole on a globe;
• discuss what it might be like in the polar region, and answer some questions about these regions;
• show the routes they might take from their home to the north pole;
• view pictures of the polar regions;
• sketch the things they might see on a visit to the polar regions;
• share their pictures with the class; and
• draw pictures or write stories of themselves visiting one of the polar regions.

Procedure:
Using the smartboard, show a picture of a globe, and ask if anyone can point out the North Pole. Make sure all students get a chance to see where it is located on the globe.
Point out the the north pole on the smartboard, and ask students what they think it might be like there. Does the globe give any clues as to what the climate might be like (for example: white colors to represent ice)?
Development:
Ask students to pretend they are planning a big vacation to visit the polar region. Have them continue to look at the globe, and ask them to answer these questions in a class discussion.
• Which area is closest to your home?
• Which continents are closest to the North Pole?
• What animals do you think live there?
Ask students to point out on the globe the routes they might take from their home to the north Pols. Which continent would they travel through?
Have students look at pictures from the north pole draw their own sketches of the things they see.
Closing:
Have students describe their pictures and explain what they might find in the north pole.

Suggested Student Assessment:
Have students look at the pictures their classmates have drawn, and ask them to think about if they would really like to visit the polar region. Have them draw pictures or write short stories about what it would be like to visit the polar region.